Namibia Newsletter Summer, 1988 Volume 11, No. 2 HEARINGS ON NAMIBIA CALL FOR INCREASED PRESSURE ON PRETORIA Stories by Namibia Communications Centre The World Council of Churches ended its Washington, D.C. Hearings on Namibia May 4 with a call for in- creased economic and political pressure to force South Africa to implement the UN independence plan . The WCC panel, headed by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, stated that "South Africa's illegal occupation of Namibia must be dealt with as an issue in its own right . " In a carefully worded but uncompromising statement, the international panel said the time had come for churches around the world to move from "approaching" to "confronting" their governments on Namibia . "The struggle against the violation of human rights imposed by Sam Nujoma, President of SWAPO, and Anglican Bishop James apartheid and the struggle for the independence of Kauluma testify at Namibia Hearings. Namibia is a matter of faith for the churches ." Earlier, Mr. Sam Nujoma, president of SWAPO, The time has come for churches Namibia's liberation movement, told the WCC panel that America's insistence that Cuban troops leave Namibia's around the world to move from northern neighbor Angola before South Africa quits "approaching" to "confronting" Namibia provided Pretoria with a "convenient excuse to their governments on Namibia. perpetuate its illegal occupation of Namibia ." "The earth is soaked with the tears and blood of the former and present generations, " said Namibian Those who sat through the three days of hearings were theologian Zephania Kameeta . "The land and sea, out of not surprised by the panel's conclusions, for the which minerals, food and energy resources are being testimony by six witnesses from Namibia and nine inter- stolen are giving you witness . But, in spite of the power- national church and legal experts presented a frightening ful witness of history, the world claims not to know of picture of life under South Africa's military occupation. this. .the world wants to hear more and more, they are starting to enjoy our suffering ." The President of the Namibian Council of Churches, Bishop James Kauluma, told the padked chamber that Continued on back page the farmland and homes of church nimbers are the "playing grounds of destructive atrocities by the South Africa troops ." The Bishop said that the churches con- This Issue: tinue to preach the gospel in spite of this occupation say- • Sanctions Action Alert ing, " Those who oppose justice, peace, independence and unity among men oppose God's will, for he is the • Students in Namibia source of all that they oppose." Bishop Kauluma said in • People's Clinic, Otjimbingwe seeking to do the will of God, "The churches in Namibia identify themselves with the problems of the people . This • May Conference Reports makes the churches targets of reprisals by the evil forces within the country . " • Kjeseth Report from Namibia EDITORIAL THE STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM: BUILDING CATHEDRALS With all the Namibia hearings, conferences, events, sanctions legislation and Angola talks that filled the month of May, some may be tempted to think that the Kingdom has come, that the struggle for freedom in Namibia is nearly over . Now we can all relax and con- gratulate ourselves a bit. However, one must also report that, for instance, the historic D .C . Namibia Hearings were not covered by ma- jor press nor attended by many congresspeople, even though the distinguished witnesses were brought right to their doorstep on the anniversary of Kassinga. South Africa's war in Namibia and Angola still escalates daily. The struggle for freedom in Namibia has been going on now for over 100 years! Reflecting on these rather painful realities, I am Zephania Kameeta, Nashilongo Elago, and Susan Burchfield in . Kameeta and Elago testified May 4 at the Hearings on reminded of the book Hope For Faith, a conversation Washington, D.C Namibia. between Byers Naude' (former general secretary of the South African Council of Churches) and Dorothee Solle (a Being involved in the struggle for freedom in Namibia German theologian and peace activist) . Following are and southern Africa—even at "long distance" from their final questions to each other: Colorado, California, Wisconsin, Ohio or New York—is a Naude' asks of Solle: "Do you, in yourself, have the rare privilege . On the eve of May 4 this year in strength to endure whatever may come to you by way of Washington, D .C., Zephania Kameeta, Nashilongo Elago disappointment, by way of rejection, by way of non- and I sat together remembering . We remembered the recognition, by way of waiting, perhaps your whole life, long suffering and commitment of the Namibian people. without being able to participate in the victory of the truth We remembered also the commitment of so many of you. that you are standing for?" We drank a toast to a free Namibia and vowed to celebrate together in an independent Namibia . May it Solle responds: "I am thinking of a friend's answer to that, come soon Lord! . when he talked about the cathedrals which were built during the Middle Ages. Most of them were built over 200 "When the day comes on which our victory years, some over 300 years even, and some of the workers in will shine like a torch in the night, those cathedrals never saw the whole building, they never it will be like a dream. went to pray there, they never saw the glass and all the We will laugh and sing for joy." beautiful things they gave their life for. And then this friend said to me, `Listen Dorothee, we who are building the (Psalm 126, paraphrased by Kameeta, from Why, 0 Lord?) cathedral of peace, maybe we won 't see it either. We will die 1 x ~ before it is completed, and yet we are going to build it. We are going on even if we won't live in that building .' " NAMIBIA NEWSLETTER is published quarterly by Then Solle asks of Naude "Give me your blessing my National Namibia Concerns (NNC), brother, I need it." 915 East 9th Avenue Denver, Colorado 80218 You and I have been extraordinarily blessed this spring (303) 830-2774 with the presence and words of so many Namibian sisters with funding from the United Nations Council for Namibia. and brothers at events across the country . We need the National Namibia Concerns is an educationladvocacy network blessing of their challenge, their hope, their courage . For working with the Namibian churches for a just independence for we too, with them, are building a cathedral of justice. the people of Namibia. We must keep writing letters about sanctions, educating Editor : Susan Burchfield, Interim Director . foreign policy, praying, people, trying to change U.S Executive Director : Solveig Kjeseth (on leave in Zimbabwe) speaking out—especially in this election year . Board President : Barbara Fullerton 2 ACTION ALERT Supporters of strong sanctions and Namibia won an important victory in May when the Dellums Bill, HR 1580, was voted out of the Foreign Affairs Committee . Thank you to all of you who lobbied with your representatives during April! You made a difference! HR 1580 is scheduled to come before the full House for a floor vote as we go to press . HR 1580 calls for comprehensive sanctions against South Africa, mandates complete disinvestment, and will end virtually all trade between the U.S. and the apartheid economy . This legislation would substantially strengthen the limited U .S. sanctions imposed on South Africa in 1986. The Senate is now considering legislation, S 2378, introduced by Senator Edward Kennedy that is identical to HR 1580 as amended by the House Foreign Affairs Committee . S 2378 now replaces S 556 . The Senate will be closely watching to see what happens in the full House vote. It is crucial that every member of the House be contacted and urged to vote for and oppose weakening amendments to HR 1580. It is also important to thank those representatives that have cosponsored the Dellums Bill and voted for it in commit- tee. In the Senate there are already efforts to weaken S 2378 . Urge your Senators to become co-sponsors of S 2378. Urge your Representatives and Senators to support HR 1580 / S 2378 and oppose all weakening amendments . All members can be reached through the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121, or write : U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, D .C. 20515 and U .S. Senate, Washington, D .C. 20510 . For a pre-recorded legislative update on these bills call Africa Hotline at (202) 546-0408. A Summary of some important measures included in the bill: • Independence for Namibia under UNSCR 435 as one of five conditions, four of which must be met before sanctions can be lifted . (This is one part of the Bill in danger of being "traded off"—be sure to urge keeping Namibia in HR 1580 I S 2378 .) • A Prohibition on Investment in South Africa and Requirement that U .S. Corporations ending their investment consult trade unions when withdrawing. • A Prohibition on Imports into the U .S. from South Africa (excluding strategic metals the President deems essential to U.S. defense or economy) and Exports to South Africa from the U .S. • A Prohibition on Intelligence or Military Collaboration, and Nuclear Assistance to S .A. • A Ban on Corporate Involvement in Oil Sector • Penalties for Foreign Companies Taking Commercial Advantage of U .S. Sanctions Resolved: Be sure to check with your church or organization for stands it has taken on sanctions that you can quote when That the church council of the you contact your Congresspeople (see right). Evangelical Lutheran Church of America at its April 1988 meeting Even though it is dangerous, many Namibians and South affirm its support for comprehensive Africans continue to voice their support for sanctions.